The Social Isolation and Loneliness in Europe Network: Evidence-Based Policy Recommendations on its Causes, Consequences, and Monitoring

The LONELY-EU project tackles the pressing societal issue of Social Isolation and Loneliness (SIL) across the EU through a unified strategy, engaging stakeholders at every level.

LONELY-EU aims at facilitating the exchange of knowledge and practices, connecting SIL stakeholders, and supporting and encouraging decisionmakers to adopt targeted and evidence-based policies to prevent and mitigate SIL on local, regional, national, and EU levels.

The LONELY-EU consortium combines scientific expertise, policy expertise, and networking and communication expertise from a diverse array of EU nations.

This consortium is guided by its Evidence-to-Action Advisory Board and supported by the WHO, OECD, and other global entities. LONELY-EU will work towards the five expected outcomes in three separate pillars.

In Pillar 1, the empirical cornerstone, LONELY-EU will apply advanced statistical methods to analyze pooled existing data, creating a comprehensive, dynamic, open, accessible, and sustainable evidence map that sheds light on the socioeconomic causes and impacts of SIL at the individual and societal level.

In Pillar 2, the policy foundation, LONELY-EU will craft the European Social Isolation and Loneliness Index, establishing a groundbreaking framework to monitor SIL across the EU.

Pillar 2 will also draw on empirical findings from Pillar 1 to provide evidence-based recommendations for preventing, combatting, and monitoring SIL in Europe at both individual and population levels.

In Pillar 3, dedicated to networking and dissemination, LONELY-EU will leverage established networks to build the SIL Network Europe, an EU-wide network of SIL stakeholders under the patronage of Vice President Evelyn Regner and Minister President Hendrik Wüst.

Pillar 3 aims to execute a comprehensive impact strategy covering all steps of Communication, Dissemination, and Exploitation to maximize the longevity of the project and its impact towards a more resilient and connected society.